Amber is a precious gem which, by reason of its peculiar properties, has helped to play an important part in commerce. Thales, the Greek philosopher, discovered that amber, when rubbed, becomes warm, and attracts light bodies to itself, as the loadstone attracts iron. Thus was founded the science of elec¬tricity, tfXtKrpov (electron) being the Greek word for amber.

he Romans called it succinum, or gum-stone, possibly because of its gum-like appearance, but possibly also from a partial guess at its real origin. For amber,
besides its mysterious properties which made the ancients regard it with superstitious reverence, has also a weird origin, which was at one time enveloped in mystery. It is now known to be a fossilised vegetable gum which once exuded from an extinct cone-bearing tree of the prehistoric forest. That it was originally liquid, is indicated by the ants, flies and other insects found embedded in it, while even in its solid state, it may be set on fire, when it burns with the scent of resin.